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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24404671">The Tudors, Season 1, Episode 8, Truth and Justice</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer/pseuds/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer'>TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Tudors (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Analysis, Episode Review, Episode: s01e08 Truth and Justice, Meta, Nonfiction, Season/Series 01, Spoilers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:41:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,165</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24404671</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer/pseuds/TheSomewhatRamblingReviewer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Warning: Contains spoilers for the episode and the rest of the series. Complete.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Tudors, Season 1, Episode 8, Truth and Justice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Open to Catherine and Henry sitting together for a portrait.</p>
<p>I’m glad you’re getting comfortable, awkward.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, a page announces the pope’s man to Wolsey, but having to wait, the sound of the man’s cane against the floor makes it clear he’s coming. He finally arrives, and Wolsey hugs him. The man explains he has gout.</p>
<p>They sit down to talk, and though they refer to themselves as old friends, I have my doubts they ever did more than just tolerate one another. The gout man implies the pope won’t grant the request, and Wolsey correctly points out the pope will lose all authority over Henry if he doesn’t. He brings up the widespread estrangement from Rome in Germany.</p>
<p>In the gardens, Henry assures Anne the trial is simply a formality. Then, when he judges her to be in a good enough mood, he mentions, for appearance sake, he’s going to need to sit with Catherine at mealtimes and occasionally share her bed, or else she might be able to counter-sue due to him denying her conjugal rights.</p>
<p>Anne is not pleased. Now, this is not by any means a good line, but it just might be my favourite Anne line of the whole series, mainly because of the equal amounts of sheer disbelief tinged with utter amusement I feel whenever I hear it. “You think it’s nothing to go back to bed with your wife?”</p>
<p>Angry at the lack of trust on Anne’s part, Henry storms away.</p>
<p>Later, as it’s raining outside, Henry is talking to the gout man inside. He insists Catherine isn’t to blame, but he still holds both she and he broke canon law by marrying one another. The gout man suggests they try to convince Catherine to abdicate her marriage in favour of taking the vows of a nun.</p>
<p>Something similar to this happened in <span class="u"><b>The Six Wives of King Henry VIII</b></span>, but I don’t know if there’s any theological backbone to it.</p>
<p>Henry agrees they should try convincing Catherine of this instead of starting the trial right away.</p>
<p>However, the gout man has little luck. Announcing she’ll give her answer after she discusses it with Henry, she asks if he’ll hear her confession later. Agreeing, he leaves.</p>
<p>Wolsey approaches, and Catherine tries to pass. Paying no heed to the fact they’re in public, Wolsey sinks to his knees to literally beg her to give Henry what he wants. Catherine hisses Wolsey isn’t one to speak of chastity.</p>
<p>I do agree Wolsey shouldn’t have said the line about her taking a vow of perpetual chastity. At this point, if Catherine wanted to marry someone else, it’s likely Henry would happily allow it, and I do like how this series does acknowledge women have sexual desires and subtly takes the side this isn’t a bad thing. It’s been shown in previous episodes the lack of sex between Henry and Catherine is due to Henry, and it’s not just a desire to keep Henry from straying or attempting to divorce her that makes Catherine want his company.</p>
<p>Still, I still find myself a bit defensive on Wolsey’s behalf. Historically, Joan and Wolsey’s relationship likely wasn’t this deep, but in this series, they’re in love. If it weren’t for his vows, he’d be married to her. Their two children aren’t the product of a rich man taking their mother as a mistress. They’re the product of their mother and father’s love for one another.</p>
<p>Wolsey tries to convince her she’d be sealing her reputation as a role model for others if she did this, and Catherine orders him to raise. She archly points out it’s not right a man of his dignity to be seen in such a position and walks past.</p>
<p>Later, during a meal, Henry asks Catherine about her talk with the gout man. She informs Henry she won’t accept the proposition, but if Henry doesn’t wish for her to speak to the gout man, she won’t. The scene ends in silence with neither eating.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, Cromwell comes to visit Anne. Giving her a copy of a Lutheran book, he declares he thinks they understand one another before warning her to be careful whom she shows it to since it’s heresy to even possess it.</p>
<p>James Frain does a wonderful job in this scene. He shows the somewhat fanatical nature of Cromwell, his subtle fear, and his determination. Natalie Dormer, on the other hand, isn’t bad, but it’s: Anne receives a book, and when confronted with the giver’s fear, she agrees to be careful. There’s no fear on her part at being caught, devotion to Reformism, or awe at obtaining what, to her, would be an extremely important book.</p>
<p>She gives him a present to give to Henry.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, there’s a scene of the surviving sister chasing a chicken around her shack, and Thomas appears. There’s a transition to them sitting down.</p>
<p>Her name is Jane, and it’d work out much better if her sister were Jane and she were Joan.</p>
<p>Asking why she left court, he brings up Joan’s death, and the actress gives a haunting, somewhat creepy performance when Jane explains Joan has not and cannot leave her. She looks past him, and he turns. There’s a ghostly Joan standing in the background, and I do think it’s neat how, thanks to the ambiguity of Thomas’s reaction, the audience can’t be sure if he’s seeing her or if she’s a figment of Joan’s delusional state.</p>
<p>Thomas declares he wants to marry Jane.</p>
<p>I read an analysis about Thomas being vaguely prophetic, and one of the examples was him seeing the halo around Joan and not realising he was seeing her upcoming death. I also read a fanfiction where Thomas took the halo around her as a sign from William to become involved with her. Maybe the show really was positing something preternatural is responsible for the two coming together.</p>
<p>From my viewpoint, however, this is a toxic, though realistic, development to William and Joan’s death, and it won’t end well.</p>
<p>Thomas is a lonely man who fell in love, was unable to handle it, and before he had enough time to work things out, the person he was in love with died. Now, he’s latching onto the first person who showed interest besides his dead lover, and the fact she has psychological scars, too, only deepens his erroneous belief they should be together.</p>
<p>None of this is healthy, and in real life, such relationships and the people involved rarely, if ever, come out without even more issues. Sometimes, one or both people end up dead before their time.</p>
<p>Later, in confession, Catherine insists to the gout man she never slept with Arthur. Refusing to abdicate her marriage, she gives her consent for him to break the seal of the confessional in order for him tell everyone what she’s just said.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, things are not happy between Charles Brandon and Margaret. Informing her Henry wants her back at court, he notes with jealously she is Henry’s sister.</p>
<p>Refusing, Margaret expresses her disgust towards Henry’s actions with Anne.</p>
<p>Wanting to stay in Henry’s good graces, Charles Brandon declares, “Let him marry who he wishes.” They both dislike Thomas Boleyn, but Charles Brandon says he despises Wolsey more.</p>
<p>Wolsey’s given him no reason to. Historically, Wolsey was the one who helped sooth Henry’s anger over Suffolk marrying Queen Mary. However, he has to convince himself he hates Wolsey, because, as long as Wolsey is around, there’s a risk of the Boleyns poisoning Henry against him. The agreement was Wolsey being gone in return for them whispering his praises.</p>
<p>Bringing up their hasty, ill-advised marriage, Margaret shows her regrets. Using the past tense, Charles Brandon says he loved her. She responds he doesn’t know the meaning of the word and that he can love deeply for a year, a month, a day, or even an hour, but afterwards, his feelings dissipate, and he has no use for the person.</p>
<p>This is what I think everyone intended. Like Henry, Charles Brandon can become quickly and deeply infatuated. The characterisation can easily apply to him and explain how he is towards women.</p>
<p>However, I disagree.</p>
<p>Catherine’s speech to Anne about holding Henry’s true heart comes to mind. Henry holds Charles Brandon’s true heart. He didn’t ask for it. If it was offered, he didn’t realise it was, and therefore, he didn’t knowingly accept it. He certainly didn’t steal it. Somehow, though, he ended up with it in his possession, and whether it can be given back or not, Charles Brandon never truly wants it back.</p>
<p>He tries casual sex, he tries monogamy, he tries marriage, and he tries celibacy. The problem isn’t he’s gay; I’d describe him as heterosexual, but a commenter once made a good argument he could be bisexual. The problem is none of the women are Henry, and whatever his orientation, he’s in love with Henry. He may or may not be sexually attracted to him, but emotionally, he’s extremely attached. Henry loves him as a friend, as a brother-in-law, and as a loyal subject, but he’s not in love with Charles Brandon. His emotional attachment is not the same type or on the same level as Charles Brandon’s towards him.</p>
<p>Back to the scene, Charles Brandon tries to comfort Margaret, but crying, she storms away.</p>
<p>At the palace, Wolsey tries to see the gout man, but a servant says the gout man is resting. Wolsey tries physically moving the servant. When this doesn’t work, he leaves.</p>
<p>Later, at a dance, the gout man and More look down at Anne from upstairs. The gout man agrees with More about the injustice being done to Catherine. He wonders if Anne and Henry have had sex.</p>
<p>Gout man continues he’s gotten letters from Suffolk, Norfolk, and several others telling him the public supports the king. More answers, if the gout man stepped outside the palace walls, he’d see how much of a lie this is. Declaring the people love Catherine and have every reason to do so, he politely excuses himself.</p>
<p>On the dance floor, Wolsey tells Henry Catherine has refused. The pope, however, is willing to consider legitimising any children Henry and Anne have, regardless of whether they’re married or not. Unpleased, Henry orders Wolsey to try harder.</p>
<p>Upstairs, the gout man asks the Spanish ambassador who’s talking to the king. The answer is Boleyn, Norfolk, and Charles Brandon. The Spanish ambassador says they all hate Wolsey.</p>
<p>The gout man asks if the emperor is going to take military action if Catherine is displaced. The answer is not at the moment.</p>
<p>Downstairs, Margaret makes her displeasure with Henry’s actions known, and his response is, “Look to your own marriage.” He and Anne dance with the other couples as the gout man and the Spanish ambassador watch.</p>
<p>Elsewhere, Catherine meets two archbishops. She assumes they’re going to help her with her case.</p>
<p>It turns out, they’re on Henry’s side. They tell her if Henry should be assassinated, suspicion would land on her and Mary, and the fact she does such thing as smiling and waving at the people outside the palace is proof, somehow, of her hating Henry. The fact she refuses to accept the supposed sin of their marriage is also an indication of this.</p>
<p>Pointing out the unfairness of her having no lawyers on her side, she questions their commitment to their duty as men of God before dismissing them.</p>
<p>Later, she climbs into bed, and Henry joins her. He calls her heartless and full of hatred for denying him justice, and she takes this calmly. When he says he can’t persuade himself she loves him, however, she reaches over. “I’ve never ceased to love you.”</p>
<p>He suggests she shouldn’t be allowed to see Mary anymore. He continues he wants her to be reasonable, and she counters he’s the unreasonable one in this instance.</p>
<p>Elsewhere, Thomas and Jane are in bed. She asks what he wants out of life, and citing a desire to travel, he answers he wants adventure. Then, he recites poetry as a form of foreplay, and as they giggle and begin having sex, there’s a shot of Joan lying in bed looking over at them.</p>
<p>Since neither of them is looking in her direction, this is the camera seeing her. Therefore, this is the first time the show’s presented anything as concretely preternatural.</p>
<p>In the next scene, Anne and Henry have some sexual play, too, and she whispers poison in his ear about Wolsey.</p>
<p>Then, in the gardens, Henry and Wolsey talk about the gout man. Henry suddenly turns on Wolsey with the accusation Wolsey is against the divorce/annulment. Falling to his knees, Wolsey brings up all the work he’s put into the matter before promising he’s willing to continue doing whatever it takes to see it through.</p>
<p>Gently, helping him up, Henry assures him that he trusts him.</p>
<p>Inside, More and Norfolk have watched the exchange. When Norfolk leaves, More quietly declares anger of the prince means death.</p>
<p>Later, Henry repeatedly drops the f-bomb to show how angry he is as he orders Cromwell to go to Rome to make it clear Henry will withdraw from church authority if not given what he wants.</p>
<p>Though there are a few words I will never use, I have nothing against most expletives. Personally, I think a word is simply a simply a tool to be used. It has whatever meaning a person using it and person hearing it assign to it.</p>
<p>However, I do think, in this scene, it was unnecessary. When Margaret uttered the same word in regards to wondering if Charles Brandon was a fool, it fit. It fit her, it fit the situation, and it gave the scene the tone it was aiming for. Here, it doesn’t. Again, it’s making Henry seem like a teenager who is deliberately using words and phrases he know will provoke a reaction in the authority figures he’s angry at.</p>
<p>Next, Henry orders Charles Brandon to go to Paris to find out all he can about both the gout man and Wolsey from the French king.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, More meets up with Catherine. Introducing her to Bishop Fisher, he assures her Fisher will give her true and devoted counsel. More leaves them alone, and they sit. Catherine says she understands if Fisher would prefer not to be caught up in the drama, but Fisher makes his intention to help her clear.</p>
<p>Elsewhere, Anne and Henry play cards, and he explains Cromwell’s news from Rome isn’t good.</p>
<p>The next scene is in the French king’s palace. Charles Brandon is sitting with the royal couple. Before leaving, the French king advises Henry should be careful of trusting Wolsey or the gout man.</p>
<p>Then, in a move I can’t fully bring myself to believe, Charles Brandon, a man with no noble blood, who only has his money and titles due to a childhood friendship, asks an anointed Queen to sleep with him.</p>
<p>Now, yes, he’s reckless, doesn’t have much use for assigned stations, and doesn’t fear death, but I still find it hard to believe, even with all this, he’d do something like this.</p>
<p>Instead of having him hauled away, however, she pointedly asks about Margaret before expressing her view having sex as a way of hurting someone isn’t good for anyone, including the person having the revenge sex.</p>
<p>Can I just say the French queen is freaking awesome?</p>
<p>Back in England, Wolsey literally manhandles the gout man into a room. Again, he points out the Catholic Church will lose Henry and the rest of England if the divorce/annulment isn’t granted and, then, goes on to rant about how the lack of a divorce/annulment will cause him to lose everything.</p>
<p>Elsewhere, Charles Brandon, Norfolk, and Boleyn decide now is the time to strike against Wolsey, and the three of them drink to England.</p>
<p>There’s a montage.</p>
<p>During the day, there’s a shot of Catherine putting on a crown.</p>
<p>Outside, there’s a crowd of people, and the title-card announces the scene is taking place at Blackfriar’s Church.</p>
<p>The sick gout man lies in bed.</p>
<p>Wolsey smacks a servant who accidentally drops part of his outfit. It’s a testament to Sam Neil’s skills Wolsey still manages to occasionally be sympathetic after this episode.</p>
<p>Henry and his men walk through the crowd.</p>
<p>Catherine looks at herself in the mirror. Then, entering the crowd, she smiles graciously at her subjects. Someone yells, “Long live, Queen Catherine!”</p>
<p>In the court, Henry insists Levitate law forbids the marriage. He continues he has a petition signed by all his bishops questioning the marriage, and Fisher jumps up to declare he signed no such document. He announces, if is name is on it, it was signed by another man without his consent.</p>
<p>After Fisher settles, Henry continues he didn’t bring this matter to the court earlier due to his love for Catherine. Making it clear she’s not responsible for his waiting so long or for his guilty conscience, he claims he just wants justice.</p>
<p>Informing the court Catherine questions the impartiality and right of him and the others to judge it, Wolsey calls Catherine to the stand.</p>
<p>Standing up, Catherine looks at at the crowd before calmly walking over to Henry. Kneeling, she says, “My lord.”</p>
<p>Jumping up, he tries to pull her up, but staying firmly on her knees, she grasps his hand.</p>
<p>“Sir. I beseech you, for all the love that has been between us, let me have justice and right. Give me some pity and compassion, for I am a poor woman and a stranger, born out of your dominion. I have no friend here and little counsel. I flee to you as head of justice in this realm. I call God and all the world to witness that I have been to you a true, humble, and obedient wife, ever comfortable to your will and pleasure. I have loved all those whom you have loved, for your sake, whether or not I had cause, whether or not they be my friends or enemies. By me, you have had many children, although, it has pleased God to call them from this world. But when you had me at my first, I take God as my judge, I was a true maid, without touch of man. And whether or not it be true, I put it to your conscience.”</p>
<p>Then, she standing, she curtsies, and with her head held high, she ignores the calls for her to come back as she leaves. Everyone stands, and many people make their respect clear. Outside, people cheer and clap for her.</p>
<p>MDK did an awesome job with this historical speech and just the scene in general.</p>
<p>Inside, Henry glares at Wolsey for a long moment before leaving. Briefly clutching his heart, Wolsey crosses himself, sits down, and looks utterly defeated when he looks out at Boleyn, Norfolk, and Charles Brandon.</p>
<p>Fin.</p>
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